“Well, stop thinking like that. I don’t want Matteo to go everywhere I go. ” I imagined the field day the local press would have with that.
Jack reached over, grabbing my hand in his. “I worry about you is all. ”
“I know, but at some point you need to let me be a big girl and take care of myself. I was perfectly fine here before you came, you know. ” His expression fell, and I knew I’d hurt him. “That’s not how I meant it. I just meant that I didn’t need a babysitter before. ”
“You weren’t being hounded by the press or fans before either. ”
“That’s true,” I admitted, my stomach fluttering with the thought.
“I know you think I’m crazy, Kitten, but I can’t function if I’m worried about you. ” He lowered his head, and a horrible feeling crept over me. I hated being the source of his pain.
“I don’t think you’re crazy, but I hate that I cause you so much stress. ”
His dark eyes turned to my face. “You don’t cause me stress. I cause me stress because I can’t relax when it comes to you. Because I love you so damn much. ”
I didn’t know how to respond. Jack made me fully aware that I was his number one priority in life, and I’d never experienced that feeling before. I stared at him, allowing my own feelings for him to circulate throughout every ounce of my body. Feeling heavy with my own emotions, I longed to lighten the mood.
“Does it matter what time I land on Friday?”
He brought my hand to his lips and kissed across my knuckles. “Even if you book a flight that gets in when I do, I’m not allowed to ride with you to the hotel. So don’t worry about trying to coordinate your flight with mine or anything. ”
“Alright. I’ll just fly out after work then. ”
“So you might miss the game?”
“I shouldn’t. We have summer Fridays in the office now so we get to leave early. ”
“What the hell are summer Fridays?” he scoffed.
I smiled. “This whole freaking city goes to the Hamptons on the summer weekends. So everyone gets off early on Friday so they can drive up there. ”
“Shut the hell up. ”
I laughed. “I’m not kidding. ”
“Could you imagine if we did that shit in LA? What would we have, Malibu Fridays?”
“Beach house Fridays!” I yelled.
Jack smiled and tilted his head. “You’re so adorable. I love you so much. ”
His words pierced like an arrow into my lungs, causing me to catch my breath. “I love you too. ”
“What time do the movers get here tomorrow?”
“Eight. ” I looked around one last time. “I got everything, right?”
Jack turned his head in all directions, scanning our tiny living space. “Looks like it to me. You did good, Kitten. ”
“Thanks. ” My cheeks warmed with his compliment as his hand cupped my face.
“We should leave this place with a bang. ”
“What do you have in mind?” I sucked at my lower lip.
“I think you know. ” He pushed off from the couch before slipping his hands under me and lifting me up. “I think I have two quarters in my pocket. ” His tongue swept across my lips as he carried me into our tiny bedroom one last time.
We moved into our new apartment the following morning, and Jack was on a flight that evening. But not before building our new bed frame, two sets of bookshelves, and a new dresser. He promised he’d put together everything so I wouldn’t have to.